Tracks Across the Fields – our first time attending

Over the weekend of 16th & 17th August we attended the event “Tracks Across the Field” held in Froxfield, near Petersfield in Hampshire, so not to far from home, although both Victoria and Albert were at Amberley Museum in West Sussex so needed transporting from there. We had little time spare again so they both had to be low loaded from Amberley and arrived safely on the field a few days before the event.

This was the first time we had attended Tracks Across the Field as we were normally at another event, which now doesn’t go ahead, so we thought it would be a good one to add to our 2025 calendar.

Tracks Across the Field has been running for a good few years, over 25 I think, it’s mainly tractors ploughing with some added vehicle exhibits from classic cars to large military vehicles, there was also a threshing drum being driven by a local Mclaren traction engine, “The Favourite”, some displays and stalls, a good selection of stuff to look round. The engines in attendance were our two, Victoria and Albert, and they were joined by the Lugg/Russell engines their Foden lorry and Allchin “Bess” who is in their care at the moment.

Being parked at the top of the field gave us a g0od view over the event and on Friday the tractors just kept coming in, we had no idea that quite so many came along, parking in 3 or 4 fields there were tractors everywhere of all ages, shapes and sizes. We had decided we would go for a run to the pub on the Friday evening with the engines so later in the afternoon we steamed up and took a lovely few miles trip through the countryside and a drink at The Trooper pub.

The weekend was great, with about 5 fields being ploughed by the tractors and us just running around the fields, we also had a small load of a couple of trailers to drag round which was great to make the engines work a little harder up the hills, great for the photographers. The public poured in and the atmosphere was lovely.

Saturday evening and a visit to a different pub, all 4 engines took a trip and was great to see them all on the road, then back to the field and a quick trip up to the beer tent and listen to the DJ and our friend, Simon get on the mic! With a bit of Elvis, Billy Ray Cyrus and even a bit of George Ezra, a great evening was had by all. It sounds as though we drink all the time with all these visit to the pub and beer tent but we would like to point out that our crew don’t drink at all, it’s lemonade and orange juice all round. Sunday was another great day, yet more visitors, it was a very busy event. The weather was hot and with all this dry weather it was very dusty, just like a proper old ploughing event.

Sadly all to quickly the weekend was over and we were watching all the tractors packing up and going back home, we stayed to Monday before our engines went on there way back to Sussex.

We would like to give a big shout out to everyone that came to see us, had a chat with us and made the weekend such a good one, the friends we spent the weekend with and mainly to the team who put this excellent event on, The Wessex Historic Tractor and Implement Club, they have been doing this event for a while and they do a grand job, no Hi-Viz vests walking around telling you what and how you should do things, just sensible rules and common sense. A big thanks must go to Sam who is from the club and looked after us so well, thanks Sam.

Just one thing left to say, SEE YOU NEXT YEAR…
For more pictures of this event please see our Facebook page.